Going back in time.

Sometimes I'm scared to use Linux. When there's a software not in the repository and I really want to use it, I would download it and then follow instructions from someone on the internet. At this point my system could either crash, everything works perfectly, or I have a huge files installed somewhere (I don't know where) and it still doesn't work. I really like Linux, but they're times when I rather be a place before I tried installing a program. These are the only gripes I have about Linux.

So here are some of my questions:
Can I go back it time with linux?
If not how can I remove everything from a failed install?
How would I remove "completely" an install that I don't wish to use anymore?

Some commands I'm not so familiar with do things how do I reverse them?

 

It's not the fault of linux, though. And we can't give you detailed instructions because applications have different installation process, it is recommended to use what's in the repositories for a reason.

 

This is the same whether it's linux windows or macos. Without knowing which linux, which program, it's impossible to help.

 

Usually the configure scripts support the prefix switch, which will install all files to the given directory. If it doesn't, you can still use a fakeroot setup to do basically the same. This way you won't mess up your system. If you then create a package out of the compiled software you can even handle it with your package manager.
For example Debian has dh-make and dpkg-buildpackage to help you here. I guess similar tools exist for rpm based distributions, although I must admit that I haven't fully understood the internal rpm package structure yet. In Slackware it's even easier. Just create a txz from your compiled software.

 

Heres one the programs I could never remove properly. I understand linux itself is extremely stable it is the inexperienced user (me) that causes problems. So how would I install then completely remove this program. This program I have installed successfully before, but it caused a change in my resolution during boot-up, upon removal using the uninstall script it still didn't completely revert back the changes.

On my previous install I simply went to superuser then sh /path/of/file and installed. To uninstall I sh /path/to/uninstall/file. Whats the proper way to install this? I'm currently using Debian I believe you can install this without the actual printer. If anyone out there is brave enough this would really help. http://www.megaupload.com/?d=Y39A1QQ9

 

If you're really struggling with this, try linuxquestions.org. Best place may be the Debian subforum.

What I would say is that, using Mandriva, it's a long time since I had a program I wanted that wasn't in the repositories. I would also say that the printer install on Mandriva is absolutely awesome these days. I needed to print out something for my mum at my parents' house the other day. I plugged a Samsung USB printer in to my laptop, Mandriva brought up a message saying it had found a printer and did I want to install the drivers. I said yes, entered the root password and it went to the repositories and installed about eight packages after which the printer worked flawlessly.

If this is in Mandriva's repositories, I would be surprised if Debian didn't have them too. Debian may well not have such a fantastic automated procedure, but you may well find it's in its repositories. If you want an easier experience with Linux (Debian is not the easiest distribution, especially for a newb) try Mandriva or *buntu.

 

No idea what this Samsung driver actually does. It's too complex to understand it within 5 minutes and at the moment I'm too lazy to spend more time with it.
But didn't Debian -- Details of package splix in lenny support your printer (which one is it?)? According to the package description it should support roughly the same printers like your tar.gz.

 

Yeah the splix driver actually works better than the proprietary Samsung driver. Here I just wanted to show an example of the difficulties I might face using Linux. I'm bound to do something this stupid again. How would I revert the changes back?

 

Arch Linux has a process for installing third party software not in the repo. Basically you build the software in it's own directory then make a system package of that directory. Then you use pacman, they installer tool, to install the package. If the package messes up or doesn't work then you can use pacman to uninstall that package. Easy.

I think there's something similar in Debian.

 

Yes, there is. This was what I tried to make clear in previous posts. The problem is, that you need to know this in advance before you install some software.
Basically it's the same for every distribution. And actually this isn't even Linux specific. You'll have the same problem under Windows if you use the uninstaller that is provided with the installer. If the uninstaller doesn't work properly it'll leave some remains of the software.

 

I was unaware Debian had such a system, if I could test an install than that pretty much solves my Linux problem . Too be honest I'm unaware of the fakeroot system I guess I have much to learn about Linux.